Military History

Charles is listed as being killed in action on 30 Mar 1918 during the Canadian Cavalary Brigade attack on a German advance in the village and woods at Bois Moreuil. The successful action held up the German advance along the east side of the River Avre and effectively resulted in the end of the German Spring Offensive. The 1st Battalion Report on operations for the 29th & 30th March is transcribed below.

At 2pm on March 29^th, the brigade received orders to march to JUMB1. During the march orders were received to proceed to Guyencourt where the Brigade bivouacked in Guyencourt Wood. The Brigade stood to at dawn on March 30^th having received orders at 2.00am to be ready to move as 6.30am. The hour to move was postponed until 8.30am at which hour the G.O.C met General Pitman Cmd 2^nd Cav Div who gave him the following information and orders:- The Germans had captured Mezierres and were rapidly advancing on Amiens. The Brigade was to cross the Noye and Avre Rivers as quickly as possible and engage and delay the enemy.

Orders were issued accordingly to move at once across country from Remeincourt, leaving Bois de Senecat on the right, and endeavour to force a crossing at Castel. The crossing at Castel was unopposed and the Brigade proceeded due east to the Northern extremity of the Bois Moreuil. At that point, considerable machine gun and rifle fire was encountered coming from the Northern face of the wood. It was apparent that the retention of this wood by the enemy, giving them direct observation on the whole of the valley leading up to Amiens, might be fatal to Amiens and to the main line of railway to Paris, and the G.O.C. accordingly decided to attack and take the wood.

Headquarters were established at the northern edge of the small wood adjoining the large one. This small wood had not yet been occupied by the enemy. The Royal Canadian Dragoons, who were leading, were ordered to send an advanced guard Squadron, commanded by Capt. Nordheimer, at a gallop by the North West corner of the wood. The second Squadron, commanded by Capt. Newcomen, also mounted, to the South Western face of the wood with the object, if possible, of gaining touch with Major Timmis Squadron at the extreme southern corner of the wood. The Third Squadron commanded by Major Timmis was ordered to go round the NE corner of the wood up to the southern corner.

Capt. Nordheimer’s Squadron, although exposed to very heavy rifle and machine gun fire passed through the North West corner of the wood and established themselves. Capt. Newcomen’s Sqdn penetrated halfway to the south west face of the wood, where they found heavy machine gun fire directed upon them from the enemy, between Morisel and Moreuil. They turned into the wood and established themselves there. Major Timmis’s Sqdn met with considerable opposition and wheeled the the left, suffering heavy casualties.

Lord Strathconas Horse (R.C) were then ordered to send one Squadron to pass round the North Eastern corned of the wood at a gallop in support of Major Timmis, while the remaining two squadrons of the Regiment advanced to the attack dismounted on the southern face. What took place is this:-

Capt Nordheimer’s squadron got into wood and engaged the enemy in hand to hand combat. Many of the enemy were killed, all refusing to surrender, but a large party, estimated about 300, retired from the wood south. This party was charged by Lieut Flowerdew and many of the German’s were killed with the sword, although they ran to meet them with the bayonet and showed no sign of surrender. Lieut Flowerdew having passed through them, wheeled about and charged again. He then galloped into Wood as the eastern face, established himself, and was joined by the dismounted party of his Regiment. Fierce hand to hand fighting ensued in all the North Eastern part of the wood, resulting ultimately in the complete capture of this portion of the wood and the killed of all the German garrison.

The resistance of the enemy was most stubborn. One badly wounded German, shot through both legs and the stomach, refused to allow the stretcher bearers to move him, saying he would sooner die uncaptured.

Meantime, Capt. Newcomen’s squadron were held up half way down the western face of the wood, and enemy still held in some strength in the southern part of the wood. A Squadron of Fort Gary Horse was sent to reinforce Capt. Newcomen, and a second squadron of the same regiment was sent across the rive to enfilade the enemy from the high ground above Morisel. On this northern face two squadrons of Lord Strathconas Horse (R.C) advanced dismounted, commanded by Lt. Col McDonald. Many casualties were sustained in this advance, and no doubt the whole party would have been destroyed had it not been for simultaneous attacks on the enemy’s rear, of which he was aware from the continuous rifle and machine gun fire.

Lt. Col McDonald’s party entered the wood and overcame all enemy resistance, and by 11am the attack, having started at 9.30am, the whole wood, except the extreme southern point was in possession of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. The losses were severe, most Regiment’s having lost half to one third of their officers and a similar proportion of their men, and it would have been impossible to have held the wood but for the prompt arrival of General Bell-Smythe’s Brigade, who reinforced our weak points and bore the brunt of the fierce fighting later in the day on the western face of the wood. In spite of repeated counter attacks by the enemy the wood was held by the Cavalry until 2.30am the following day, March 31^st, when General Seely handed over the defence of the captured wood, of which he had been placed in charge, to the infantry of the 8^th Division.

On relief the Brigade retired and bivouacked in the Bois de Senecat.